The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has announced that a new national park and nature reserve has been created in the remote Goldfields, adding more than 800,000 hectares to Western Australia’s conservation estate.
In a statement, the Department said the creation of the Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara National Park and the Lake Carnegie Nature Reserve was a significant step in the Plan for Our Parks initiative.
The Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginal Corporation will jointly manage Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara National Park and Nature Reserve at Lake Carnegie with the Department,” the Department said.
It noted that an Indigenous Land Use Agreement was signed in October 2022.
“This is the largest exclusive possession native title agreement in Australia,” the Department said.
“It paves the way for greater on-country employment for Traditional Owners as well as the chance to engage with the State Government and private sector to pursue tourism and other economic development opportunities.”
The Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara National Park was formerly two pastoral leases purchased by the State Government more than 20 years ago.
It is also a dedicated Indigenous Protected Area with more than 480 identified plant species, as well as the centre of one of Australia’s biggest threatened animal translocation projects.
Lake Carnegie is listed on the Commonwealth Directory of Important Wetlands and is also culturally significant to the Martu Aboriginal people. It is believed to be home to the elusive and critically endangered Night Parrot (pictured).
